#3317
SBB BDe 4/4 II
🇨🇭 Switzerland ·built by Schweizerische Wagons- und Aufzügefabrik AG Schlieren-Zürich· from 1956· Swiss electric multiple unit
1 photo from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. SBB Historic - F 122 00795 001 - La Plaine Stationsgebaeude mit Reisezug BDe 4 4 II: Hans-Rudolf Berner· CC BY-SA 4.0
what is it?
The BDe 4/4II were motorcar electric multiple units built in the 1950s for the Swiss Federal Railway for service on the La Plaine - Geneva line. The line was not electrified to Swiss standard (15 kV 16+2⁄3 Hz AC), but to the southeastern French 1.5 kV DC standard, so most Swiss rolling stock could not be used. They retired from operation in 1995.
who runs it
base stats
Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.
fun facts
- First built 70 years ago, in 1956.
- 1.1 MW is about 13 family cars (~85 kW each) flat out.
- Served for 39 years (1956–1995).
multiple unit: A self-propelled train: motors are spread under the passenger cars, so no separate locomotive.
spec sheet
- built
- 1956
- in service from
- 1956
- retired
- 1995
- status
- retired
- number built
- 2
- kind
- Electric multiple unit
- traction
- electric
- origin
- 🇨🇭 Switzerland
- builders
- Schweizerische Wagons- und Aufzügefabrik AG Schlieren-Zürich, Société Anonyme des Ateliers de Sécheron
- operators
- Swiss Federal Railways
- top speed
- 100 km/h
- power
- 1.1 MW
- gauge
- 1,435 mm standard gauge
- formation
- 3 cars per trainset (typical), 2-4 cars per trainset (design)
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q2205131, Wikipedia: SBB BDe 4/4 II (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.